1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a weather strip for an automotive vehicle. Specifically, the present invention relates to a weather strip attached to a back door of an automotive vehicle of the hatch back type.
2. Description of The Background Art
Generally, an automotive vehicle of the hatch back type includes a back door weather strip attached to a back portion of the body along a circumference of an opening therethrough corresponding to the circumference of a back door contacted thereto for providing a seal between the back door and the body when the door is closed.
A side weather strip can be additionally attached to appropriate portions of both sides of the back door for reducing wind noise when the vehicle is moving. The side weather strip is generally attached along an edge portion of the back door side to an inner panel of the back door via securing means, such as a clip. Such a weather strip includes a seal lip having a hollow therein to seal a gap remaining between the back door and the body of the vehicle for establishing an elastic contact with the body when the door is closed. The seal lip is positioned so as to have coplanarity with the outer surface of the back door.
Another weather strip can also be attached to a top portion of the back door.
Weather strips attached to the circumference of the back door prevent dropping of water droplets into a vehicle interior if the door is opened in rainy conditions or after washing. When the back door is opened, water droplets adhered to the back door tumble down from the door edge into or outside of a drip channel, which is formed in a floor portion of the vehicle body to receive water droplets, via the seal lip of the weather strip. Thus, the weather strip keeps the vehicle interior from getting wet by leading water droplets to the drip channel or outside thereof.
However, if the back door is opened quickly and/or roughly, water droplets adhered to the back door tend to flow along curvature of the weather strip surface toward the inside portion of the door edge and splash therefrom into the vehicle interior.
Japanese Patent First Publication (unexamined) No. 2-81745 discloses a seal strip for sealing a space between two parts including a base member having an end intermediate both parts and a seal lip formed integrally with the end of the base member. The seal lip is extended to surround the end for providing a seal by establishing elastic contact with both parts. The base member is made of hard material and the seal lip is made of soft material.
However, if water droplets are adhered on the upper part, they tend to flow around into an interior of the seal strip when the door is opened, wetting the interior of the vehicle.